Re: F-ckin Leap Seconds, how do they work?

[Paul Graydon <paul () paulgraydon co uk>]

On 7/3/2012 1:53 PM, Owen DeLong wrote:
> UTC (and the system clock) should not move backwards, but, rather they repeat
> second 59. UTC goes 58->59->00 most of the time, but during a leap second, it
> should go 58->59->59->00). It's not so much going backwards as dropping a chime.
If they do that, they're "doing it wrong", UTC and the system clock 
should go 58->59->60->00.  From the IERS bulletin announcing the leap 
second just past:
http://hpiers.obspm.fr/iers/bul/bulc/bulletinc.dat

"A positive leap second will be introduced at the end of June 2012.
 The sequence of dates of the UTC second markers will be:               
                
                          2012 June 30,     23h 59m 59s
                          2012 June 30,     23h 59m 60s
                          2012 July  1,      0h  0m  0s"